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Jul 16 Health in the News

In short:
The FDA approves Truvada to prevent HIV infection. This is a first. When taken daily, Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) reduced the risk of HIV infection by 42 percent compared with a placebo. That was in a clinical trial where HIV-negative people had unprotected sex with multiple partners, including some HIV carriers, according to the FDA. Another trial involving heterosexual couples where one partner was infected -- and condoms were used routinely -- found that Truvada reduced the risk of infections by 75 percent.

I'm not sure where you would find people to take part in a study such as this, but Truvada is a treatment for an individual is already infected. A prevention besides the usual barrier methods (or abstenance) is novel.

Interestingly, in Germany, circumcision in the news. German doctors are seeking an urgent clarification from the government over religious circumcision after a court ruling calling it a criminal act prompted an international outcry. I know this is a hot button topic with many.

The College of Physicians called on the government to act to prevent clandestine circumcisions and to ensure that "children do not fall into the hands of any butcher or any old health worker".

The Cologne ruling concerned a case brought against a doctor who had circumcised a four-year-old Muslim boy in line with his parents' wishes.

When the boy later suffered heavy bleeding, prosecutors charged the doctor.

Although the doctor was acquitted, the court judged that "the right of a child to keep his physical integrity trumps the rights of parents" to observe their religion, potentially setting a legal precedent.

Want to lose weight? Don't eat out at lunch, don't skip meals, and log everything you eat in a journal. So, first thing I'm going to do since I've already started using Fitness Pal is to brown bag it from now on.